A large number of commercial and industrial products comprise aqueous systems containing organic materials. Examples are latexes, surfactants, dispersants, stabilizers, lubricants, thickeners, adhesives, starches, waxes, proteins, emulsifying agents, detergents, cellulose products, and resins formulated in aqueous solutions, emulsions or suspensions. Such products frequently contain relatively large amounts of water. The temperature at which these products are stored, as well as their pH, makes these products susceptible to the growth of microorganisms. These microorganisms can be introduced during the manufacturing of these products (from exposure to air, tanks, pipes, equipment, and humans), and/or during their use (from multiple openings and reclosures of packaged products, and introduction of contaminated objects to stir or remove material).
Microbiological degradation of aqueous systems containing organic material may manifest itself in a variety of problems. These include loss of viscosity, gas formation, objectionable odors, decreased pH, emulsion breaking, color change, and gelling.
Friedrich et al., Zur Kenntnis des Hexamethylentetramins, I., 54B Berichte 1531-42 (1921), discloses 1-methyl-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniatricyclodecane compounds which include anions such as methyl sulfate, nitrate, picrate, perchlorate, and thiocyanate groups. Pending U.S. Pat. applications No. 174,812 and 174,819 additionally disclose anions of acetate, citrate, borate, phosphate and molybdate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,505,831 and 4,650,866 disclose 1-methyl-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniatricyclodecane compounds, useful as microbicides. These patents, however, are limited to such compounds having monohalide anions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,866 also discloses a method for preparing such 1-methyl-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniatricyclodecane halides comprising the reaction of an ammonium halide with methylamine, formaldehyde and ammonia in an aqueous medium.